Book 3: Fyre  An ATLA Fanfiction
by freexgirl
Summary: Proluge to my speculation fanfic of Book 3: Fire of Avatar: The Last Airbender. Hopefully it will get some people hooked. Then I'll write more chapters. Cheers!
1. Proluge

The Avatar's sky bison aimlessly soared through the night sky. Katara sat in front, cradling a limp Aang in her arms. Sokka calmed her with words of reassurance. "He's gonna be OK." The Gaang was fleeing from the city of Ba Sing Se. After clever planning and scheming, the infamous Fire Nation's Princess Azula had finally attempted to conquer the great city. Her brother had taken her side, and the powerful team suceeded.

The water tribe girl fought back tears as her friend's eyes remained closed. Some slid down her cheeks, and fell lightly onto Aangs forehead. His eyes opened slowly, and he smiled weakly at Katara. "Guys! Look! He's alright!" she cried to the others. Aang gasped in pain when the waterbender hugged him tightly. "Sorry." she whispered.

_"You will learn respect, and suffering will be your teacher." "Dads going to kill you." "Now is the time to choose..."_ Prince Zuko woke from his nightmare in a cold sweat. He was in an unfamiliar room, adorned with green tapestries and portraits of Earth Kings. He held his head in his hands as thoughts swirled around his aching mind. _"I betrayed Uncle! Father won't take me back, will he? Is Azula lying? Did I really change?"_ He flopped back onto the bed.


	2. Nowhere to Go

"What happened Katara?" Aang struggled to speak. "You went into the Avatar State, but Azula shot you down. I used the Oasis water to heal you." she explained. "I can't believe that just happened." the Earth King was in a daze. His whole Kingdom was in danger, and he never knew about it. The devastated man simply stroked his bear.

"I can't believe Zuko betrayed his uncle." Sokka added. "You know, when we were trapped in the caves, I really thought he had changed." Katara sighed. "What _did _happen in the caves?" Sokka asked suspiciously. His sister glared at him. "Nothing he just seemed...different." "He didn't hurt you, did he?" the water tribe warrior wanted more answers. "NO Sokka. I'm fine." Aang ignored the argument. He just couldn't get the picture of Katara and Zuko next to eachother out of his mind.

Prince Zuko rose out of bed. He got dressed and walked down the long corridor outside his room. Where were they keeping Iroh? The firebender asked the nearest guard where they were keeping his uncle. After getting directions he proceeded down the hallway. Zuko passed a room, and looked inside.

Mai sat alone on one of the olive green daybeds in it. She seemed frustrated, throwing her small knives at the wall. When Mai noticed him, her pale cheeks turned slightly pink and she accidently threw a knife into the nearest chair. "Wonderful day to be alive, isn't it?" she mumbled. "Yeah." he passed the doorway.

Zuko found the staircase that lead to the palace prisonhold, and strolled up and down, looking into each of the empty cells. "I am very disappointed in you." His uncles words echoed and Zuko found him in the end cell. "Is this what you really want?" Why did he come down here? To be lectured? The prince went back up the staircase as his once only companion called "Its not to late to change!"


	3. Old Friends

Aang felt as though he was dipping in and out of conciousness. Katara still held him, and the pain from Azula's attack still plagued his frail body. Katara and the others were talking, and all their words seemed to blend together, making them uncomprehensible to Aang.

"Maybe we should land." the Earth King said.

"Good idea." Sokka replied and took up Appa's reins.

"Hold on, and prepare for landing." Toph said unenthusiastically. The King held a clump of Appa's fur in each of his hands, and Bosco flattened himself into the coat.

* * *

Zuko layed on his bed. His deep thoughts were interuppted when there was rapping on his door. 

"Come in." he sighed. A guard opened his door

"Princess Azula wishes to see you in her room." he said and then left. The prince left his room and walked down the wide hallway to his sister's room. Walking ahead of him was Mai and Ty Lee; he noticed they were speaking, but he could'nt hear them.

The happier of the two turned around breifly to look at him. She then nudged her friend who didn't react. Next, Ty Lee whispered something in the other girl's ear and giggled. Mai pushed her friend hard to the side, who continued to giggle. Zuko just groaned. This had been going on since they were kids. "Girls are CRAZY!" he remembered saying.

* * *

"Katara, why don't you get Aang some water? I bet he's really thirsty." Sokka commanded. "I'll go get something for dinner." Katara refilled her water pouch, and bent some of the water into his mouth. 

"I'm alright, I can move around now. I feel better." Aang said hoarsely. He attempted to rise but only managed to stagger a few feet before tripping.

"You just need to rest." Katara said calmly.

"I need to practice some more earthbending." Aang insisted.

"Twinkletoes, you'd be crazy to earthbend like _that_. You'll get hurt." Toph added. Aang was overruled. He was still anxious to master Earthbending, and needed to learn firebending.

* * *

When Zuko got to his sister's room, Mai and Ty Lee were already there. "What is so funny?!" Zuko thought as Ty Lee continued to giggle and Mai remained stagnant. She did have a crush on him, so what? Ty Lee didnt need to spread the word. 

"Hello girls, and Zuzu." she addressed her friends. This didnt help Happy's laughing fit. "I brought you here to discuss our plans, but first, some letters have been sent." she gave Mai and Ty Lee one and kept another to herself.

"How delightful. My parents are concerned about me." Ma threw the letter away. "Whos is yours from?" she asked Ty Lee whos face had turned bright pink.

"Oh, just some guy I met back at that circus...nothing special." she said.

"The Dai Lee will escort us back to the Fire Nation." Azula summarized her letter from the head of the Dai Lee. Then, she placed it behind her on a table. She explained how they were getting there, and then dismissed her friends.

"I'll catch up with you guys, I think I forgot something..." Mai told Ty Lee and Azula. The princess gave her a suspicious look, and then left with Ty Lee. Mai retrieved the letter from 'the head of the Dai Lee.' Her friend had lied to them, the letter had really been from the Fire Lord. She gasped when she saw what it said, then ran back down the hallway to Zuko's room.

She knocked sharply on the door, and nobody replied. Mai went in, and saw it was empty. She grabbed some stationary and wrote quickly

_Leave now, and take Iroh with you. You're in danger. Please don't go with Azula. _

_-An old friend. _

Mai left it there and sped off to join Azula and Ty Lee.


	4. Azula Always Lies

The Gaang had landed in a small forest clearing far outside what was once Ba Sing Se. The thick canopy of trees above sheilded them from the noon's sun. They had already set up camp, and things were going very slow. Aang rested against a tree trunk. Katara and Toph spoke, while the Earth King stroked his bear. Sokka threw and caught his boomerang, very bored. Everyone became silent when a figure entered their clearing. Sokka charged with his club but the man stopped him with ease and pushed him down. "Who are you?" he angrily demanded.

* * *

Zuko wandered the Earth Palace courtyard. Unattended flowers and shrubs shriveled in the sun. The firebender set a bear topiary aflame by sheer boredom. Life was much more interesting with Iroh. Thinking of him made Zuko fill with guilt. All his uncle ever wanted to do was help him. The old man actually believed in Zuko, and saw potential in him. He sighed and returned to his room. 

Did he really want this life anymore? As Prince Zuko he had no friends. Just Azula and Ozai to critcize him. But when he was _just _Zuko, people seemed to like him. There was Lee, Jet, Song and Jin. _Actual friends. _Suddenly, a piece of paper on his dressar caught his attention.

* * *

"Ty Lee, can I talk to you for a second?" Mai asked. Her friend was practicing her acrobatics in her room. 

"Sure!" she flipped over and went to Mai.

"Do you think what were doing is right? You know...helping Azula?" she sounded sad.

"Azula's our friend. Her plan seems a little harsh though..." Ty Lee said.

"Well thats just it. Is there really a need to kill Zuko and Iroh?"

"She just wants to make sure she rules after her father. But still, it is her brother..." Ty Lee sighed.

"I already told Zuko to leave with Iroh." Mai confessed. Her friend was shocked. "_Please dont tell Azula!" _

"You did the right thing, I wont tell her." Ty Lee chirped. Then she hugged Mai.

"OK, Ty Lee. Yeah...you can stop hugging me now."

"I KNEW YOU LIKED HIM!" she teased.

* * *

Zuko stood stunned by the letter. Who wrote it? Was it true? He couldn't take chances. Zuko sat thinking for a while. How would they escape? Before he was called for dinner, the firebender had already plotted their escape. Now to just play along... 

"Are you anxious to leave tomorrow, Zuko?" Azula asked. He, Azula, Mai, and Ty Lee were all eating dinner. "

Very. I'm glad to be going home." Zuko lied. Mai and Ty Lee exchanged worried looks and he noticed. "I suppose Iroh is coming too?" he continued.

"Of course." she said.

"Is everyone packed?" Ty Lee asked. Everyone nodded.

"You should really check those dressars in the rooms, I forget stuff in them all the time. Knives, clothes, letters..." Mai sounded a little unsure. She was improvising.

Zuko and her locked eyes for a second. "She wrote the note!" he thought surprised. Mai looked down shyly. She was close with Azula, she must know. He felt devastated: Azula lied to him again and he fell for it. His father didn't want him back. Nobody did.

_**Azula always lies.**_


	5. Sokka the Warrior

**All men make mistakes, but only wise men learn from them.**

**-Winston Churchill**

* * *

Sokka looked at the man before him and demanded again 

"Who are you?" He was a scruffed looking man, with dark hair and eyes. On his back was a longsword, and on his belt two broadswords.

"I'm not here to fight. I am a refugee." He stated calmy. "My name is Kai."

"Whats with all the weopens?" Sokka asked suspiciously.

"I brought them with me when the Fire Nation attacked my village. It was right outside Ba Sing Se." Kai said sadly.

"Wheres your family?" Katara asked, fearing she already knew the answer.

"They were killed. I tried to fight them off, but there were so many..." Kai seemed deep in thought. "I see you have a club there...water tribe weopen. I had a couple of close. You see, I used to train the boys in my village, before they left to fight." Sokka stared at the mans swords. He had never used one before...he never thought he was strong enough to learn them. Maybe...

"Are you...headed anywhere?" Sokka inquired.

"Sadly, no." sighed Kai.

"Maybe you could...show me how to use those?" he gestured towards the swords. Katara gave him a warning look. "What? I'll need to be able to fight with more than just a boomerang and my club in the invasion."

"Invasion?" Sokka told the swordsman all about the day of Black Sun.

"I'll be glad to teach anyone whos brave enough to take on such a task." Kai beamed down at the young warrior.

"Lets start with the broadswords..."

* * *

Zuko stood outside of the palace. Ostrich carts were being packed with belongings and items stolen from the palace as Azula barked orders. They were going on a few days trip to the nearest dock, where a Fire Navy ship would bring them home. Iroh was to be brought home a prisoner, and a traitor. He still remained in his cell. 

The prince hurried down to the prisoner hold to see Iroh. He passed all the empty cells that criminals had escaped from during the invasion.

"Back I see? Ready to go home?" Iroh asked, strangly cheerful.

"Azula lied...were both going back as prisoners. We have to escape." Zuko frantically whispered.

"I'm glad you have finally realized your choice was wrong."

"Im sorry Uncle..."

"Zuko, you dont need to apologize. Azula planned this all out. I cannot blame you for falling into her trap." Iroh explained.

"Were going to escape tonight, when Azula and her friends are sleeping."

"And then what?"

"I think we should go our seperate ways...just for a while." Zuko told Iroh feeling slightly sad he was going to leave him again.

"If thats what you feel is necessary." A guard then came and led Iroh from his cell to the carts, the old man smiling discretly at his nephew.

* * *

"Are you sure you havent used these before? You're learning awfully fast!" Kai told Sokka. He was working on footing, and doing very well. 

"Nope. Just my club and boomerang." Sokka replied.

"I think youre ready for this." Kai took the longsword from his back and handed it to Sokka. The young water tribe warrior swung at trees, as the swordsman gave him tips and praise. Sokka wished his father could see him, he'd be so happy...so proud...

When they stopped practicing, Katara went back to caring for Aang. She gave him water, and spoke to him.

"Feeling better?" Katara asked

"A little...but it s-still hurts alot." Aang whispered. She had been waiting to ask for a while.

"Aang, did you ever...meet your parents?" The avatar looked saddened at the thought.

"No. The monks never talked to me about it." he sighed. "Whenever I asked, they only told me 'You have your mother's eyes, Aang'. Thats all I remember about them...my mother...she had silver eyes."

"Oh..." Katara felt bad. At least she had a father. Aang had no family.

"You should really try to sleep Aang. I'll stay right here, in case you need me." Her voice soothed Aang. He gave into sleep, his last thought being his parents. And those silver eyes...


End file.
